Today's motor vehicles are commonly equipped with air filters including odor absorbent material, such as activated carbon, to trap odors and prevent them from permeating the passenger cabin of the motor vehicle. Under certain conditions, odors previously trapped in the odor absorbent may outgas into the passenger cabin through the ducts of the HVAC system so that when the doors are opened and people enter the vehicle, unpleasant odors are present.
This document relates to an apparatus and method for regenerating the odor absorbent in a motor vehicle HVAC system that is also specifically adapted to push the odors from the regenerated odor absorbent material outside the vehicle and into the ambient environment after the owner/occupants have left the vehicle.